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cnbc.com
Mizuho shares slide 7% after denying decision on reported Rakuten Bank investment shift
Shares of Mizuho Financial Group fell over 7% Monday, after the company said it has not made decision yet on investment in Rakuten Bank.
cnbc.com
Asia-Pacific markets mostly fall as Trump’s Iran warning stokes fresh oil supply fears
Asia-Pacific markets fell as investors weighed renewed geopolitical tensions after Donald Trump warned Iran to "get moving, FAST."
cnbc.com
South Korea market volatility nears record high after $13 billion foreign investor selloff
South Korea's stock market volatility surged near record highs on Monday after foreign investors dumped $13.2 billion worth of local equities last week.
cnbc.com
China's April economic data underwhelms, with retail sales growth slowing to lowest since 2022
China's economy stumbled in April with consumption, industrial output and investment growth missing expectations.
bbc.com
Oil prices rise after Trump warns 'clock is ticking' on Iran peace talks
Energy markets have been on a wild ride as the key Strait of Hormuz waterway remains effectively closed.
cnbc.com
White House touts deals on soybeans and rare earths after Trump-Xi summit, while China talks up tariff cuts
The meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week yielded new pacts, though the sides have provided differing details.
theguardian.com
Passenger detained and banned from Qantas after allegedly biting attendant on flight from Australia to US
Flight from Melbourne to Dallas forced to land in Tahiti due to man’s alleged disruptive behaviourGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA passenger has been detained in Tahiti and banned from future Qantas travel after a plane travelling on a long-haul flight from Australia to the US was diverted at the weekend after the man allegedly bit a flight attendant.The QF21 flight left Melbourne at 2.30pm on Friday en route to Dallas and was diverted to Papeete in Tahiti seven hours later when the behaviour of the disruptive passenger forced it to land. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Oil jumps as Trump warns 'Clock is Ticking' for Iran, fanning fears of escalation in conflict
Trump's warning to Iran over the weekend signals that the impasse between Washington and Tehran over ending the war could deteriorate into resumption of armed conflict.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Trump faces grueling marathon in Iran conflict as Putin heads to Beijing
Days after Air Force One departed Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit the Chinese capital for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
bbc.com
Why does Amazon have no Western rivals?
The internet giant dwarfs other online retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.
bbc.com
HS2 failings blamed on high-speed focus and political pressure
A new reviews confirms the high-speed rail line's "original sins" include a technical design, changing political priorities and ballooning costs.
theguardian.com
UK firms halt investments and hiring as Iran war pushes up costs, bosses warn
Survey shows businesses ‘struggling to absorb latest economic shock’, while data says April vacancies down 7.7%The worsening fallout from the Iran war is forcing businesses to halt their UK investment and hiring plans, bosses have warned, as Britain enters a renewed period of political and economic instability.More than two months into the US-Israeli war on Iran, leading surveys of UK employers showed companies were increasingly prioritising cost management over growth as rising costs and global uncertainty weigh on confidence. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Government-backed Pensions Commission calls for action on gender savings gap
Body says, on average, British women approaching retirement have half private pension savings of men – £81,000 versus £156,000A shake-up of pensions in Britain must involve measures to close the gap in retirement savings between men and women, the revived Pensions Commission is to tell ministers.According to the government-backed body, women approaching retirement have on average half the private pension savings of men, with a median pension wealth of £81,000 versus £156,000. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump warns Iran to 'get moving' or 'there won’t be anything left'
The president has previously threatened to strike civilian infrastructure in Iran, a potential war crime.
theguardian.com
London mayor criticises plans for north of England bid to host Olympics
Excluding capital would be ‘missed opportunity’, says Sadiq Khan, given existing assets and ‘world-class infrastructure’The mayor of London has criticised plans to explore a bid for the north of England to host the Olympics, saying that excluding London would be a “missed opportunity”.Ministers have commissioned an assessment by UK Sport which could inform a bid for the international sporting event in the 2040s. If the campaign were successful, it would be the first time the Olympic Games and Paralympics were hosted in Britain since London 2012. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Shutdown of US’s largest commuter rail system enters second day amid strike
Long Island Rail Road disruptions likely to affect weekday rush hour as Kathy Hochul says ‘I did not want a strike’The shutdown of the Long Island Rail Road, North America’s largest commuter rail system, continued into a second day on Sunday after unionized workers went on strike a day earlier for the first time in three decades.The railroad, which serves New York City and its eastern suburbs, ceased operations just after midnight Friday after five unions representing about half its workforce walked off the job. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Where does UK-EU relationship stand and how might bid to rejoin bloc be received?
Labour leadership contender Wes Streeting calls Brexit a ‘catastrophic mistake’ while Andy Burnham sees ‘long-term case’ for rejoining EUWes Streeting, who resigned as Britain’s health secretary last week and has said he will run in any contest to replace Keir Starmer as the Labour leader and prime minister, has described Brexit as a “catastrophic mistake” and said the UK should rejoin the EU.Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, who will fight an upcoming byelection on a promise to challenge Starmer, has also said he saw a “long-term case” for rejoining – although he would not be advocating it immediately. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Cuba: Trump says he can do ‘anything I want’ to the island. It doesn’t belong to him | Editorial
Buoyed by his removal of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, the US president is intensifying an economic stranglehold and military menaceWhile the world watched the pomp of Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing, the US was turning up the pressure thousands of miles away. Its oil blockade has plunged Cuba into a humanitarian crisis, sparking nationwide blackouts that have prompted rare protests, closing schools and universities and leaving hospitals battling to treat patients. Surveillance flights are circling. US media reported this weekend that federal prosecutors are preparing an indictment for Raúl Castro, the 94-year-old former president and brother of Fidel. Mr Trump has casually observed, while bragging about the kidnapping of Venezuela’s then leader Nicolás Maduro in January, that “Cuba is next”.A military assault on Havana would be vastly more fraught for the US – even without the war on Iran – and disastrous for Cubans. Washington hopes that threats and privation will be sufficient. UN experts warn that the blockade is unlawful, puts human rights at risk and may amount to collective punishment. The government admitted on Wednesday that fuel oil had run out. Tourism has collapsed. The Canadian mining company Sherritt pulled out of a joint venture and countries have axed their contracts for Cuban doctors – a vital source of income for the island, and trained medical staff for others. Havana may hope that it can stagger on. But Mr Trump is not patient. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Instead of opting in, millionaires should have to opt out of paying extra tax | Letters
Participation rises sharply when contribution is the default position rather than requiring active enrolment, writes James KyleThe finding that three-quarters of UK millionaires say they would be willing to pay more tax (Report, 13 May) is politically significant at a time when Labour faces growing pressure both to fund public services and to defend progressive policies against rising anti-tax populism. However, the crucial question is not what people say in surveys, but how policy converts stated willingness into actual revenue.The Treasury’s standard response is that wealthy individuals can already make voluntary payments to HMRC. Yet the sums raised remain negligible. This is entirely predictable, because behavioural research repeatedly shows that opt-in systems produce dramatically lower participation than opt-out systems – the core principle behind so-called nudge theory. Successive UK governments have already relied heavily on the latter approach in areas ranging from pension auto-enrolment to organ donation frameworks. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A ‘tax-the-rich’ billionaire candidate? Democrats are intrigued
Tom Steyer has built his campaign for governor of California around affordability – he’s not the only Democrat testing the party’s appetite for a populist from the 1%Tom Steyer has built his campaign for governor of California around affordability – and taxing the uber-wealthy.It is perhaps an unusual message for a candidate with an estimated net worth of $2.4bn. But the hedge fund founder-turned climate activist and liberal mega-donor is pitching himself as a different kind of billionaire: one who wants people like him to pay far more in taxes. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Swatch stores close for second day after crowds
The launch of a new £335 pocket watch has drawn criticism after queues of shoppers built up again.
theguardian.com
Top of Labour in row over EU as Nandy challenges Streeting’s remarks
Ex-health secretary’s allies rally to defend him after culture secretary calls his comments about rejoining bloc ‘odd’A row has broken out at the top of the Labour party over whether Britain should try to rejoin the EU after Wes Streeting said the country should eventually seek to regain membership.Streeting, who resigned as health secretary on Thursday in protest at Keir Starmer’s leadership, kicked off a war of words after he argued on Saturday that Britain’s future lay back in the EU. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘You only have so much space’: the limits of reducing infection risk on cruise ships
It is hardly a surprise that outbreaks can occur and experts say many of the factors involved are not easy to changeIt was a voyage that promised such stuff as dreams are made of, yet within weeks the Atlantic expedition of the MV Hondius had become a nightmare, with three passengers dead from hantavirus and more showing symptoms.Meanwhile, an outbreak of norovirus is under investigation on another cruise ship, while flu, E coli and varicella – the virus that causes chickenpox – have also caused problems in such settings. Perhaps most memorably, in 2020 the Diamond Princess became a breeding ground for Covid, with passengers and crew quarantined for two weeks off the coast of Japan and more than 700 of the 3,711 people onboard eventually testing positive. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Americans are leaving the U.S. in record numbers and spending hundreds to learn how to do it
Expatsi's "Move Abroad Con" attracted hundreds of Americans hoping to move overseas.
theguardian.com
The American epoch of oil is collapsing. What comes next could be ugly | Jonathan Watts
China is dominating the energy transition with astonishing result, while fossil fuel fascists in the US try to turn back the clock“Farewell,” the flag-waving Chinese children chanted to Donald Trump as he strolled along the red carpet back to Air Force One at the end of his summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing.The US leader claimed he was leaving with a cluster of “fantastic” trade deals to sell US oil, jets and soya beans to China. That has not been confirmed by his smiling host, but one thing was crystal clear from the two days of meetings: the global balance of power is shifting, from the declining petrostate in the west to the rising electrostate in the east. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Thames Water investors say temporary nationalisation would slow its recovery
Comments come after Andy Burnham says he would renationalise water and other businesses as PMInvestors in Thames Water have told the Labour government that a temporary nationalisation of the embattled company would slow its turnaround, after calls from Andy Burnham to put key utilities under public control.As Keir Starmer’s grip on power appeared to be fading, the Greater Manchester mayor suggested at the weekend that the renationalisation of water and energy would form part of his policy agenda should he become prime minister. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
G7 finance ministers to meet amid warning of economic consequences of prolonged Strait of Hormuz closure
G7 finance ministers are due to meet in Paris on Monday and Tuesday as long-term borrowing costs surge.
theguardian.com
Whatever happens with the leadership, Labour must tackle the issue of social care head-on | Heather Stewart
The challenge of how to look after an ageing population has been ducked by politicians for too longIf a new Labour leader wants to underline their determination to wrestle with Britain’s political challenges, it is hard to think of a better place to start than with the creaking social care settlement.A new collection of essays, to be published by the Fabian Society soon, urges the government – whoever leads it – to crack on with creating a “national care service” more closely aligned to the NHS and ensure it is properly funded. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump’s trade commission is using fear to silence dissent
The FTC settled its case with Media Matters for America. But it doesn’t have to win in court to achieve its goalsIs there something “radically left” about being anti-Nazi? That was the question a judge put to the lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission, which has no good answer.This week, the FTC abruptly settled its case with Media Matters for America, a media watchdog the FTC had been investigating over its reports about pro-Nazi content running alongside ads on X. Those reports drove advertisers off the platform and prompted X owner Elon Musk to threaten a “thermonuclear lawsuit”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How US hemp ban could criminalize CBD products – and derail Medicare plan
Pilot program to reimburse patients for hemp-derived products could be undermined by ban passed by CongressThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently started a new pilot to reimburse patients for hemp-derived products – like CBD – but a hemp ban that Congress passed in November could derail the program.The new program will make certain Medicare and Medicaid recipients eligible for reimbursement for up to $500 worth of hemp products each year and is intended in part to evaluate whether these products could reduce their other health related costs. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It was like a mosh pit’: Swatch closes stores as watch launch causes crowding and scuffles
Paris police used teargas on Saturday and UK shops stayed shut on Sunday after rush for Royal Pop timepiecesSwatch closed its stores in the UK and in some cities in Europe and the US at the weekend after the launch of a limited-edition watch caused chaos.Shoppers waited throughout the night, and in some cases for several days, hoping to buy the Royal Pop timepieces – made in collaboration with the luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet – on Saturday. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Workers racing to turn reflecting pool blue for Trump may be at risk, union warns
Union representative concerned about safety as workers rush to finish repainting DC pool before 250th celebrationsWorkers renovating one of Washington DC’s most historically symbolic sites in a project ordered by Donald Trump may be risking their safety as they race to finish on time for the US’s 250th anniversary celebrations, a union monitoring the site has warned.Trade union scrutiny has focused on the reflecting pool on the US capital’s National Mall – scene of Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I have a dream speech” – after it was drained of water and fenced off from the public to allow contractors the chance to upgrade it by 4 July. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Will a Nationwide customer’s boardroom challenge shake up UK corporate governance?
A decade after Theresa May spoke of radical reform, the mutual faces a bid that is testing the limits of democracyIn July 2016, in a canalside conference centre in central Birmingham, Theresa May took the stage for a speech that would formally launch her Tory leadership bid.The home secretary of six years was seen as a safe pair of hands, including by the business community still reeling from the shock result of the Brexit referendum. What business had not banked on, though, was a social reform platform that would see May pledge to rein in corporate Britain and give workers and consumers seats on company boards. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Green card for the planet’? Fifa’s World Cup is on pace to be a climate catastrophe
The 2022 World Cup failed to deliver on its environmental promises. From air travel emissions to heat-related dangers, the 2026 edition will be even worseSoccer fans are increasingly watching preparations for the 2026 World Cup through their fingers. The most popular sporting event on the planet is awash in controversy, whether it’s the eye-watering ticket prices, the question of Iran’s participation while the president of one of the host countries threatens war crimes against it, or the role that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement may or may not play in policing the event. And yet, lost in the political pyrotechnics is a fiasco that carries as much long-term peril as any: the tournament’s staggering contribution to runaway climate change.The 2026 World Cup is not only the most politically combustible tournament in modern history, but it is also on track to be the “most polluting” World Cup ever, with total greenhouse gas emissions hitting nearly two times the historical average. Scientists conservatively project that the tournament will generate around 9m tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Air travel comprises approximately 7.7m tons of this carbon budget, and more than four times that of the average for tournaments held between 2010 and 2022. The researchers note that the worst-case upper estimate for air transport is about 13.7m tons of CO2. That may sound bad, but that’s just because World Cup emissions have never been worse. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'Vicious circle of rising costs is fuelling crisis for traders'
"Dried apricots 12 months ago were £35 for a 12kg box, now they're £100 a box," says cheesemonger.
bbc.com
'We need working-class voices to enrich culture'
Northumberland journalist Kate Pasola says there is a need to break down socioeconomic barriers.
theguardian.com
Fire and ‘sheer volume’: how Britain’s 6m-vape problem is putting recycling under strain
Despite the ban on disposables, waste professionals say the mountain of discarded devices is a £1bn-a-year issue It is 2pm and Ana, 47, has just started the afternoon shift at the Suez recycling plant near Birmingham city centre, standing beneath a sign reading “Non-ferrous sorting station” with a bucket of vapes in front of her. Sorting and dismantling them is part of her job as a site operative.Recycling them is not simple. Each bucket holds between 40 and 50 devices, and over the course of a shift, she gets through about half a bucket. Using a hammer, she has to smash each vape open, pry out the batteries and separate each component into a different container. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How can the PM improve the lives of Londoners?
The BBC Politics London show asks three bodies which policies could improve Londoners' lives.
theguardian.com
Killer counterfeits: the flea treatments that could send you rushing to the vet
Some cheap fakes contain toxic chemicals that make pets seriously unwell – and leave you with a big billYou want to save money whenever you can so when you see the usual brand of flea treatment for your cat listed at half the normal price, you click “buy”.It arrives and you apply it to your pet, but they fall ill and you have to rush to the vet for treatment. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
JLR and General Motors eye £900m contract to build new range of military trucks
Carmakers aim to expand into UK defence sector, exploiting spending boom by Nato countriesJaguar Land Rover and General Motors are considering an expansion into UK defence via a £900m military contract, as carmakers seek to exploit a spending boom by Nato countries racing to rearm.The manufacturers are among a group of automotive firms vying to make thousands of 4x4s for the armed forces to replace an ageing fleet of Land Rovers that have been out of production since 2016. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Feels like an illusion’: inside post-Maduro Venezuela’s bewildering new era
Four months after Trump’s surprise raid, a political thaw has descended – but mingled with hope is trepidation for what comes nextWhen Ángel Linares heard a strange buzz followed by an explosion, his first thought was that neighbours were setting off fireworks to celebrate the new year.Then his windows shattered, the building’s walls shook and its facade was ripped off, sending him flying on to the ground of an apartment suddenly reduced to rubble. His 85-year-old mother, Jesucita, feared Venezuela’s northern coast had been devastated by an earthquake, like the one she remembers from 1967. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘A place for everybody’: Stockholm to open its first publicly run sauna
Unlike its Nordic neighbours, finding a place in the Swedish capital to bada bastu is hard, with years-long waiting lists at member clubsThere is little doubt that Stockholm is a city of sauna-goers. All year round, from early morning to late into the night, the city’s residents can be seen emerging from wooden huts, a trail of woodsmoke coming from the chimney, and lowering themselves into the deep brackish waters of the Swedish capital’s shoreline.But, for locals and visitors alike, getting access to one of these saunas can be a bit like getting into the world’s most exclusive private members’ clubs: the most popular waterside venues have years-long waiting lists of thousands and when new places open up they disappear in minutes. While a proportion of spots are sometimes bookable to non-members, they are difficult to come by. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Robert paid £726 to skip the driving test waiting list. New laws mean others won't be able to
The government is cracking down on third parties who use bots to buy tests and resell them at inflated prices.
theguardian.com
What we learned from the cringey courtroom drama between Elon Musk and Sam Altman
Two of the world’s richest people faced an airing of their dirty laundry amid their messy, bitter feud over OpenAIA nine-person jury is set to decide whether Elon Musk’s allegations of “stealing a charity” against Sam Altman and OpenAI are legitimate, with deliberations to begin in earnest on Monday. Whatever its outcome, the case has been an illuminating, at times exhausting, look behind the scenes at the history of OpenAI and how some of the most powerful figures in the tech industry operate.Attorneys for both sides have introduced reams of private text messages, emails and even diary entries to support their arguments. A who’s who of Silicon Valley testified in the trial, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the mother of some of Musk’s children, Shivon Zilis. Both Altman and Musk also took the stand for hours, facing combative cross-examinations that painted them each as untrustworthy. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
UAE says its decision to leave OPEC was a strategic economic move, not a political one
The United Arab Emirates, which joined OPEC in 1967, announced last month it was leaving the oil producer group on May 1.
cnbc.com
Why J&J thinks its new psoriasis pill could be one of its biggest drugs ever
Investors are counting drugs like Icotyde to accelerate J&J's revenue growth rate.
cnbc.com
Meet the pilots flying Spirit Airlines' yellow jets to the desert
Special pilots have been moving Spirit's fleet of yellow jets to the desert.
theguardian.com
Pomp, pageantry but precious little to show for Trump’s Beijing excursion
No swift end to the Iran war, uncertainty over Taiwan and only vague outlines of commercial deals … but the US president did get to bask in the company of Xi JinpingIt was historic, to be sure, but not as anyone had predicted. First there was Donald Trump, a self-declared teetotaler, apparently drinking champagne after Xi Jinping assured him that China’s “great rejuvenation” could go hand in hand with “Make America great again”. Then there was a Chinese military band playing a rendition of the US president’s signature campaign song, YMCA.Beneath giant chandeliers, blue and gold balconies and a big orange backdrop with pagoda-style roofs, Thursday’s state banquet in Beijing featured characters whose presence would have been unthinkable here a decade ago: Elon Musk, the eccentric tech billionaire, Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host turned “secretary of war”, and of course Trump himself, a former reality TV star now leading the world’s biggest superpower. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
From train travel to staycations: How holidaymakers are adapting to airlines' jet fuel shortage
"I think people will increasingly decide, let's book Portugal, Spain, Italy... let's avoid the Middle East or going long haul," Ryanair's CEO told CNBC.
cnbc.com
A state banquet, selfies with Musk and Huang's noodle run: The spectacle of Trump's Beijing visit
The visit was full of friendly overtures, orchestrated pageantry, business dealmaking, and headline-grabbing sideshows.
theguardian.com
The hantavirus debacle raises a key question: why would anyone go on a cruise? | Dave Schilling
I cannot think of one thing that a cruise offers that isn’t available in the safe bosom of dry landI don’t swim. This is a fairly crucial element of my backstory, something that defines me even if I don’t want it to and have begged people to stop asking me about it. Water and I simply have nothing in common. I’m a 41-year-old writer, and water is, well … wet. My son swims like a fish, and as soon as I dunk my head under the surface, I start wondering what it would be like to suffocate, how soon I can come back up, and what I’m even doing down there in the first place. As bad as a pool is, the ocean is even worse. It’s not just water. It’s water with living creatures in it. What’s down there? I don’t care to find out. Things are bad enough up here.My general lack of interest in swimming, perhaps better described as a horrible fear, is one of the reasons I’ve never been on a cruise. God forbid I have to escape because of some kind of Steven Seagal/Under Siege situation. I’d jump on the edge of the boat, desperately attempt to doggy-paddle and end up at the bottom of the Mariana trench.Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humoristDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Research here is world class’: son of Steve Jobs looks to invest in UK cancer care
After death of his father, Reed Jobs is keen for his $1bn venture capital fund Yosemite to make a difference“I saw my dad have cancer when I was a kid, and unfortunately that happens far too often. And that really motivated me to try to transform outcomes for other people out there.”Reed Jobs is talking about the death of his father, the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2011 at the age of 56, the experience that underlines his mission to make cancer a non-lethal, treatable disease. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Fake lawyers, scientists, chefs and punters: meet the ‘white monkeys’ paid to make Chinese businesses look global
A foreign face is often thought to add prestige to a product or business – what’s behind this unregulated economy?Piers had been in China for all of two days in 2009 when he was used as a “white monkey” for the first time. He had travelled to a village in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, to attend a friend’s wedding and had stopped in the village to try a special crab dish at a small restaurant. Weeks later, a Chinese guest who had been at the wedding told him the restaurant had had an uptick in business because the locals had heard that a laowai, a foreigner, had been seen dining there, so people had assumed this restaurant must be good. Piers realised the boss had deliberately seated him in a way to attract attention: “I knew we were sitting outside in a premium spot, but I didn’t pick up on what was going on.”When foreigners in China are used this way, they are called a baihouzi, a white monkey. They’re hired to help Chinese businesses appear more desirable, the foreigner association conveying prestige and a sense that your product is universally regarded. The industry is unregulated in China, operating in a legal grey area. White monkey positions are advertised on job boards and can fall into different categories, from acting and modelling for Chinese films and products to pretending to be the foreign CEO of a Chinese company to lend it credibility. They might be seat warmers or go-go dancers in Chinese nightclubs to draw in customers, or English teachers in language centres to make Chinese parents feel their children are being taught by legitimate native English speakers (even if a Chinese person is actually a better qualified teacher). These businesses believe that having the “foreign look” will give them an edge over other Chinese companies offering the same service. The phenomenon of recruiting foreigners for this performative purpose can be traced to the concept of mianzi, having “face” in Chinese society, which denotes bestowing and receiving respect for each other. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Plum position: how Mutti turned tinned tomatoes into a status symbol
Italian brand poised to overtake Napolina in UK sales is touring the country on a mission to win more customersPosh jars of beans, fancy cooking oils and bougie tonic waters have tempted many of us to splash out in the hope of discovering a more exciting taste. Now tinned tomatoes, the basis of so many home-cooked meals, have entered the era of the premium takeover.Mutti, the Italian brand whose tinned tomatoes retail at about £1.60 compared with about 50p for a tin of supermarket own-label, is poised to overtake Napolina, which retails at about £1 a tin, as the UK’s biggest non-supermarket brand of tinned tomatoes, passata and paste. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Russia's Putin to meet China's Xi in Beijing from May 19-20, Beijing and Moscow say
Putin's trip follows shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing.
theguardian.com
‘The Iran war left my insurance policy void’: how the conflict is affecting travellers
A student could lose hundreds after the UK changed travel advice – others face flight cancellations due to fuel shortagesIn February, when Lottie Cornwall booked a summer trip to Lebanon, she was excited at the prospect of introducing her boyfriend to her Lebanese extended family.“My mum’s whole side of the family live there,” she says. “I last saw my grandmother and cousins in 2022. My heritage means everything to me, and this was a chance for my boyfriend to meet my family, and to show him where I come from and why I’m so in love with it.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Why Taiwan became the defining issue in the Trump-Xi talks
U.S. President Donald Trump had said arms sales to Taiwan would be on the agenda for his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping which ended Friday.
theguardian.com
UK drivers struggle to get insurance for Chinese EVs such as Jaecoo
Firms do not offer cover for some models, or charge more than for equivalent petrol cars, research finds‘Temu Range Rover’: what the Jaecoo 7 says about China’s electric car ascendancyUK insurers are more hesitant to cover some hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) from China than cars from other countries, research suggests.While some drivers can save money by buying cars made in China, they may have more limited options to get insurance than those buying electric, hybrid and petrol cars from Europe, the US and South Korea. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump says China and Taiwan should 'both cool it'
President Donald Trump spoke about Taiwan after a two-day visit to China, where he said he discussed Iran, and trade deals with Chinese President Xi Jingping.
bbc.com
'They took £20,000 I didn't owe': Parents hit by child maintenance errors
John Hammond is one of 30 parents who told BBC Your Voice they'd experienced problems with the CMS.
bbc.com
Trump and Xi conclude 'very successful' talks but few deals confirmed
There were plenty of choreographed ceremonies but no trade breakthroughs after the two-day visit.
cnbc.com
Trump went big on tech stocks in first quarter of 2026, new filings show
Trump bought shares of Amazon, Meta, Oracle, Broadcom, Motorola and Dell worth millions, new ethics disclosure filings show.
bbc.com
UK borrowing costs rise and pound falls as leadership drama continues
Analysts say the moves have been fuelled by concerns a Burnham-led government would increase government borrowing.
cnbc.com
Oil prices jump after Trump says he is losing patience with Iran
Oil prices rose Friday on news that China has agreed to purchase oil from America.
bbc.com
British Gas pays £20m over prepayment meter force-fitting scandal
The regulator say the energy supplier breached licence conditions aimed at protecting customers in vulnerable situations.
bbc.com
CIA chief visits Cuba as energy crisis worsens
The reported visit to Havana came after the US renewed an offer of aid to ease the effects of its oil blockade.
cnbc.com
China will buy more U.S. oil because it is a natural trade partner, says Energy Secretary Wright
China relies heavily on crude oil imports from the Middle East but those supplies are mostly cut off due to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
cnbc.com
Trump says Xi offered help on Iran — but how far is Beijing willing to go?
Trump said in an interview that Xi told him he "would like to be of help" in efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.
cnbc.com
Bristol Myers Squibb turns to China to develop new drugs in newest cross-continent collaboration
U.S. drugmaker Bristol Myers Squibb inked a partnership with a Chinese company that some say could mark the next wave of collaboration across continents.
bbc.com
Beckhams become billionaires as Oasis make rich list for first time
The list is based off the paper's estimates of the minimum wealth of Britain’s 350 richest people or families.
cnbc.com
How China and U.S. eased the Middle East oil shock and kept prices from spiking even higher
China and the U.S., the world's two largest economies, wield great influence over the oil market and are using it to help plug the supply gap.
bbc.com
Watch: What was argued at the Musk-Altman trial?
It's the jury's turn to deliberate in the showdown over OpenAI that has pitted two of the biggest names in tech against each other.
bbc.com
Heathrow rival could lead expansion, watchdog says
The aviation watchdog is considering new rules for Heathrow ahead of its possible expansion.
theguardian.com
Key points from the Donald Trump-Xi Jinping summit – video analysis
After a much-hyped US-China summit, the leaders of the world’s two biggest powers made no real breakthroughs on big issues, such as Iran, Taiwan and trade. The Guardian's senior China correspondent, Amy Hawkins, breaks down how Donald Trump and Xi Jinping focused on growing their personal rapport insteadTrump leaves China without breakthroughs on Iran, Taiwan or AI Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Why Britain’s potential next PM is putting investors on edge
Traders fear a new left-leaning U.K. government led by Andy Burnham would challenge the country's fiscal discipline.
bbc.com
X pledges quicker action on hate and terror content in the UK
Ofcom said the commitments were of particular importance after recent crimes targeting Jewish communities in the UK.
theguardian.com
From Team Reeves to Manchesterism: Labour’s four economic camps explained
Wes Streeting or Andy Burnham could launch a leadership bid – here are policies from which they could chooseWes Streeting may not have launched a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer, but he has called for a “battle of ideas” about the government’s future direction.When it comes to economic policy, there are (at least) four overlapping Labour camps, which have recently generated a flurry of policies from which the leadership contenders could choose. Here we run through the main ideas behind each camp. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump says he will soon make a decision about sanctions on Chinese companies buying Iranian oil
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he will make a decision over the next few days about lifting sanctions on Chinese oil companies that buy Iranion oil.
theguardian.com
Childminder numbers are falling in England – how have you been affected?
As more childminders are quitting the profession amid concerns over costs, we’d like to hear why and from parents who’ve been affectedThe number of childminders in England has roughly halved over the past decade, with many citing rising costs, low pay and increasing paperwork as reasons for leaving the profession. Childcare organisations have also warned that upcoming tax changes could push more childminders out of the sector.Campaigners say the decline is making it harder for families to find flexible and affordable childcare, particularly in areas already struggling with shortages. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump-Xi summit: The 3 big takeaways from historic meeting in Beijing
The two-day meeting wrapped up Friday, setting the tone for further U.S.-China talks this year.
theguardian.com
Trump asks if Xi brings other presidents to exclusive compound during private tour – video
The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, gave the US president, Donald Trump, a tour of Beijing’s walled-off Zhongnanhai compound in the concluding hours of their summit on Friday. Among the notable ancient trees Xi showed Trump was the 'Lianli Bai', two cypress trees whose trunks have grown together. A hot mic captured the leaders' remarks, in which Trump asked Xi if other foreign leaders were also received in the compound. 'Very rarely,' Xi responded. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
UAE fast tracks second West-East oil pipeline to bypass Strait of Hormuz
The second pipeline project comes as global energy supplies remain under pressure and flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain severely limited
bbc.com
India's Adanis agree to pay $18m to settle civil fraud case in the US
The US securities regulator had accused the Adanis of paying bribes and misleading investors, which they denied.
theguardian.com
Art deco and modernist flats in England and Scotland for sale – in pictures
From a converted art deco hotel in Glasgow to a brutalist apartment in London’s Barbican Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Singapore Airlines sticking with Air India for the "long game" despite losses
Air India has been a big drag on SIA's earnings, but the airline says its investment is part of the "long game"
bbc.com
'Not having a proper funeral left me with painful memories'
Ed Cullen says his mum had an unattended cremation which saved money but was "devastating" for him.
bbc.com
Claim, counter-claim and tech's seedy side exposed: Five things we learned in the Musk-Altman trial
As the jury deliberates, this is what we found out during the weeks-long trial with two tech titans at its heart.
bbc.com
US hotel owners expected a World Cup boom - so far it hasn't happened
An industry body survey found hotels in World Cup host cities see the tournament as a "non-event".
theguardian.com
Jim Chalmers responds to the budget’s critics - podcast
The political editor, Tom McIlroy, and the economics editor, Patrick Commins, speak with Jim Chalmers about the criticisms that his ‘reforming’ and ‘ambitious’ budget, while historic, stands to benefit only a relatively small number of Australians.The treasurer also explains why the budget didn’t include an increase in tax for gas exports, and how this government is putting forward an economic strategy to address the anxieties that lead voters to turn to populism on the rightRead more: Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why Modi wants Indians to buy less gold and take fewer foreign holidays
Modi has urged Indians to save dollars as war and oil shocks strain the rupee and economy further this year.
bbc.com
Inside the secretive and lucrative world of orchid breeding
It can take a decade to bring a new orchid to market, so breeders keep their hi-tech processes secret.
bbc.com
AI could put people off tech jobs and hurt the economy, warns Raspberry Pi boss
Eben Upton warns against claims that Artificial Intelligence will destroy vast numbers of computing roles over the coming years.
bbc.com
Woman in bank row over depositing £900 HMRC cheque
Annabel Yates says she faces a 94 mile round trip to bank a cheque because of changes at Lloyds.
bbc.com
Cost of living concerns in St Helier Central
The BBC has heard concerns about poverty and cost of living from St Helier Central voters.
bbc.com
Honda makes its first annual loss in 70 years
The firm will now pivot away from scrapping its target for all of its vehicles to be electric by 2040.
bbc.com
Faisal Islam: Six things we now know about the UK economy in charts
The UK economy is showing resilience – it’s worth diving into the data in more detail to understand why.
theguardian.com
Why do we keep building on land at risk of flooding?
A recent study by Aviva found that one in nine new homes in England are being built on land at risk of flooding – often entirely within planning rules. Josh Toussaint-Strauss investigates how the system allows developers to profit while homeowners bear the costCheck your flood riskSign up for flood warningsMake a flood plan Continue reading...
bbc.com
Major police operation targets drug and knife crime
West Midlands Police brings Operation Fearless to Handsworth.
bbc.com
UK economy sees surprise growth in March despite Iran war
The economy grew by 0.3% in the month, official figures show, confounding analysts' forecasts of a small contraction.
bbc.com
Changes to PIP payments
Finance expert Laura Pomfret explains to PIP payments.
bbc.com
HMRC to use AI from British tech firm to spot fraud and tax return errors
Quantexa, a financial data platform, won the £175m contract to spot fraud and tax return errors.
bbc.com
Australian giant Coles misled shoppers with fake discounts, court rules
The decision, which comes amid similar case against Woolworths, could mean significant penalties.
cnbc.com
Japan's global defense business may be on the cusp of a big breakout
Can Japan be a major player in the international defense sector, like its neighbor South Korea?
bbc.com
Big tech bets on new mascots in bid to seem more cuddly
The likes of Apple, Microsoft and Google are all putting cartoon characters centre stage.
bbc.com
Warning higher Europe air fares 'inevitable' due to Iran war
Flying by air will get more expensive as oil prices remain high, says international industry body boss.
bbc.co.uk
The Food Chain
How batch cooking can save time, money and food waste
bbc.co.uk
Business Daily
As Trump meets Xi how is the relationship between the world's two biggest economies?
bbc.com
Trump's Fed chair pick Kevin Warsh confirmed by US Senate
Kevin Warsh was confirmed by the narrowest margin since the role required a Senate confirmation vote.
bbc.com
Smart glasses are 'an invasion of privacy' - Meta's are selling better than ever
The biggest tech firms are set to sell millions of smart glasses despite growing privacy concerns.
bbc.com
Not so dusty: How tech is changing woodworking
Woodworking shops have been transformed by tech to make tools safer and more precise.
bbc.com
Cyber-crime increasingly coming with threats of physical violence
While hackers used to sneak into computer systems, intimidation of staff is now more common.
bbc.com
How sunburn inspired a new way to store energy
Molecules that can capture heat could be a useful technology to decarbonise heating.
bbc.com
How Sir David Attenborough built 'Green Hollywood'
The city is responsible for 80% of the world's natural history TV shows.
bbc.com
Gulf economies face long-term hit from Iran conflict
Commentators say it will take years or even decades to repair the damage.
bbc.com
Robots move in as waste firms struggle to find staff
Humanoid robots are being added to the automation of waste sorting.
bbc.com
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
bbc.com
Will AI lead to more accurate opinion polls?
It's cheaper and faster to collect people's opinions using AI, but will it make polls more accurate?
bbc.com
Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
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